Petition filed in SC to restrain Jaya from becoming Chief Minister

New Delhi: A petition was filed on Thursday in the Supreme Court seeking to restrain J Jayalalithaa from taking oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister again following her acquittal in an alleged disproportionate assets case by the Karnataka High Court.

Media reports have speculated that she is likely to be sworn-in as the Chief Minister on May 23. The plea has sought framing of guidelines regarding reappointment of a person or existing MPs or MLAs in the event of acquittal by a higher court till the case reaches finality in the Apex Court.

The petition filed by advocate G S Mani, among other things, said the order of acquittal by an appellate court should be confirmed by the Supreme Court should permit her to hold Chief Minister's office.

The High Court on May 11 had acquitted the AIADMK supremo in the 19-year-old DA case against her by the Karnataka High Court which said her conviction suffered from infirmity andwas not sustainable in law.

Jayalalithaa was unseated from the Chief Minister's post on August 27 last year when the trial court convicted her and she was automatically disqualified from being a member of the Assembly and contesting elections for 10 years from then.